Chris Sale. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Chris Sale won 17 games in his first year in Boston and finished as the runner-up for the American League Cy Young award.
This season, he's started even better.
Sale has a pair of no-decisions, but a 0.82 ERA after allowing just one run through his first 11 innings. The lefty has struck out 15 to offset six hits and three walks, and he's feeling good.
"I have confidence in myself, I do," Sale said. "I don't want to come off as arrogant or cocky or anything, but you have to. If you're not confident in what you're putting out, you're kind of wasting your time."
Sale will take the ball tonight opposite Luis Severino when the Sox host the Yankees for the first of three at Fenway at 7 p.m.
Sale went 0-and-3 with a 2-65 ERA in five starts against the Bombers last year. Severino was 2-and-1 with a 3-33 E-R-A in the match-up.
Giancarlo Stanton's off to an up-and-down debut to his first year with New York. He's homered three times and driven in seven, but he's batting just .167 with an MLB-high 20 strikeouts in 42 at-bats.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports